Tom Czeck, Freeport Veterinary Clinic, explains the veterinarian's role on the farm during the 2014 Stearns County Breakfast on the Farm, Melrose, Minn.

Photo By Lucas Sjostrom

A cow utilized a brush during an open house at Bill and Merri Post's farm, Middleroad Acres, Chandler, Minn.

Photo By Lucas Sjostrom

Cow's eat in the freestall barn, holding 145 cows milked with two robots, during an open house at Bill and Merri Post's farm, Middleroad Acres, Chandler, Minn.

Photo By Lucas Sjostrom

Cows enjoy the sand bedding in the new freestall barn during an open house at Bill and Merri Post's farm, Middleroad Acres, Chandler, Minn. The barn was designed so cows would have access to everything with in 80-feet.

Photo By Lucas Sjostrom

An overview of the barn during an open house at Bill and Merri Post's farm, Middleroad Acres, Chandler, Minn.

Photo By Lucas Sjostrom

A cow visits the mechanical brush during an open house at Bill and Merri Post's farm, Middleroad Acres, Chandler, Minn.

The public was invited for the open house at Bill and Merri Post's farm, Middleroad Acres, Chandler, Minn. The tunnel-ventilated freestall began operation about 1.5 years before the June 2014 open house.

Photo By Lucas Sjostrom

A cow takes a break from drinking water during the open house at Bill and Merri Post's farm, Middleroad Acres, Chandler, Minn.

Photo By Lucas Sjostrom

The outside of the tunnel-ventilated freestall barn for 145 cows at Bill and Merri Post's farm, Middleroad Acres, Chandler, Minn.

Cow 111 checks out the public during the open house at Bill and Merri Post's farm, Middleroad Acres, Chandler, Minn.

Sarah Post explains the workings of the Lely robotic milker to the crowd during an open house at Bill and Merri Post's farm, Middleroad Acres, Chandler, Minn.

Photo By Lucas Sjostrom

A cow being milked during an open house at Bill and Merri Post's farm, Middleroad Acres, Chandler, Minn.

A view from the northeast corner of the tunnel-ventilated freestall barn. The couple upgraded from a tie-stall barn 1.5 years ago, which they are converting to an automated calf facility.

Photo By Lucas Sjostrom

Heifers enjoy feed at their bunk during an open house at Bill and Merri Post's farm, Middleroad Acres, Chandler, Minn. Pre-weaned calves will soon move to a new automated calf barn at the farm.

Photo By Lucas Sjostrom

Corn was up on June 6, 2014, during an open house at Bill and Merri Post's farm, Middleroad Acres, Chandler, Minn.

Photo By Lucas Sjostrom

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We were able attend two open house events in Minnesota during the first weekend of June Dairy Month 2014. On Friday, June 6, Bill and Merri Post held an open house at their 145-cow robot facility near Chandler, Minn. The two-robot barn is tunnel-ventilated and built so a cow doesn't need to go farther than 80-feet for any of her needs. Their Lely Juno pushes up feed every 90 minutes, and automatic alley scrapers clean the barn.

On Saturday, June 7, the Funk family welcomed the public to Funk's Midway Dairy near Melrose, Minn. The 400-cow operation featured two freestall barns, one with slatted floors, a breakfast, and an activity area for children. The event was the 7th annual celebration of dairy in Minnesota's largest dairy county.

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About the Author:

Lucas Sjostrom

Lucas serves as Assistant Editor.
Sjostrom and his wife, Alise, are partners in her family’s dairy farm and cheese plant near Brooten, Minn. Jer-Lindy Farms is a 200-cow dairy farm that grows alfalfa and corn for the cows, and apples for bees and humans. He and his wife have a daughter, Lucy.